Why Did the Mariners Trade for Josh Naylor Now?
The Mariners wasted no time heating up trade season. On Thursday night, they pulled the trigger on a big bat, Josh Naylor. According to MLB.com insiders, Naylor is headed to seattle from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for two pitching prospects : lefty Brandyn Garcia and righty Ashton Izzi, ranked No. 13 and No. 16 in Seattle’s pipeline.
Seattle has been openly hunting for power at the plate, and Josh Naylor fits the bill. In his first 93 games as a D-back, the 27-year-old slugger smashed 11 homers, drove in 59 runs, and posted a solid .807 OPS. Not bad for someone dealt just last offseason by Cleveland.
Is Josh Naylor the Power Plug the Mariners Needed?
Seattle leads the league in homers thanks to Cal Raleigh, but production at first base has been soft. That’s where Josh Naylor steps in. He’s expected to slot in there regularly, instantly boosting the team’s offensive punch as they push for the playoffs.
For the Diamondbacks, the deal signals a shift. Sitting 5.5 games behind in the NL Wild Card race, Arizona seems to be entering sell mode. Naylor, a top chip, is now gone. And insiders say players like Eugenio Suarez and starters Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen could be next.
Seattle, on the other hand, is clearly loading up. With just a week left before the MLB trade deadline, grabbing Josh Naylor early shows they’re not waiting to compete, they’re moving now.
